


Inverted Fate AU: Unbreakable Belief

by Soufon



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-19 05:07:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29621064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soufon/pseuds/Soufon
Summary: As always, Papyrus struggles to make the best out of a bad situation.(Based off the Inverted Fate AU, originally by Dorked.)
Kudos: 6





	Inverted Fate AU: Unbreakable Belief

**Author's Note:**

> (Character death is more or less implied, still tagging it just to be safe)

Church bells tolled.

Almost forcing the elevator open, Papyrus struggled to keep his balance as he ran through that golden hallway. His brother always seemed to float around this place, though, he doubted even him and the queen still spoke often. Perhaps it was memories of a better time that kept him around here, or maybe it was just a nice, secluded space to goof off from work.

It was rather nice, if sparingly decorated. Perhaps a few paintings, an ornate rug, pyrotechnics... The queen hardly left the throne room anyways, would she even notice if he spruced up the room a bit? It would be rude, but surely she'd come to understand his taste in interior decorating. Then again, his last attempt at home decor ended in him cleaning up the lab for a few weeks.

Papyrus stood firm, making sure to be exactly aligned with the pillars around him. Even now, positioning was important! Maybe if he was lit just right, the human would be more-

The human.

Papyrus didn't like calling them that. Their name was Frisk. They were a good friend, and a friend in dire need of his help. That's what he was here to do, in the first place! All he needed were the right words, and everything would be just fine. But of all the words to choose from-! Papyrus thought back to those books Undyne had pressured him to read. What was it, "The Greatest Bat"? It had stuck with him - the high-class gentleman showing the little guy all there was to life, and more! He felt that he had made that connection with Frisk, or at least, he thought he did. If everything went according to plan, he'd secure that connection, and he was sure it would! Why wouldn't it?

They had made good progress together. That little golden helper of theirs was a great companion as well. Papyrus wondered what happened to that little flower. He had vanished around the time when, well, when everything seemed to fall apart. He hoped he was okay. Papyrus would make sure to apologize for letting this happen whenever things were put right again.

He wished he was there for them earlier. It wasn't his fault they just ran off at the sight of him! Papyrus was practically one step behind them this whole way, having to waltz through already-solved puzzles, fly over post-battle battlegrounds... battles he wasn't there to mediate. He had come across a few families on his way to this hallway, ones that weren't as sympathetic towards Frisk as he was. Papyrus hated the idea that all humans were as bad as that one bad blue egg, and truthfully, this was nothing close to a rampage.

The thought of having to rationalize the human's actions like this didn't sit well with him.  
He hadn't been able to get a good reading on Frisk's level since their time in Snowdin. Papyrus knew the human wouldn't sink too far down; they didn't have it in them, he knew that. But those monsters, holding onto pieces of dusty clothing... Undyne trapped under that massive machine, almost deathly quiet, and already coming apart into a horrible...

It was all just a bit much to consider.

Regardless, Papyrus knew one thing was for certain.

Frisk needed him now more then ever, and whoever, or whatever they had become since their time together, he wouldn't stop believing in them.  
He couldn't stop believing in them. It wouldn't be like him to stop, would it?

And so, he stood there, making sure he was positioned just exactly right, and taking a defensive stance. This wasn't going to be easy.

The bells tolled again.

Someone was coming down the hallway. They walked forward in silence.

They stopped right in front of Papyrus. They looked up at him. There was an odd feeling to their face - somewhere between confusion and ...sleepiness? He couldn't quite place it, but that didn't matter now.

With a small sign, he took a dramatic deep breath, and-

-They kept walking past him.

Frozen in shock, Papyrus forced himself to turn, and cried out for his fallen friend.

"F-FRISK, WAIT! I JUST WANTED TO TALK."

They half-turned their face to look at him.

"I KNOW THINGS HAVE BEEN... ROUGH BETWEEN US. BUT, THIS PATH YOU HAVE CHOSEN. I DO THINK THAT IT'S NOT TOO LATE!"

"I BELIEVE IN YOU, IN US. WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS TOGETHER, BUT, YOU HAVE TO AT LEAST TRY." His heroic stance faltered. Papyrus looked out the glass stained windows.

"I... I FORGIVE YOU FOR WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I WON'T ASK YOU ABOUT WHY YOU DID WHAT YOU DID, TH-THAT'S IN THE PAST, NOW."

"BUT NOW.. WE CAN... WELL..."

The human turned to face him. After seconds of unbearable silence, they spoke. Their voice was awfully raspy.

"Of course you'd forgive me, Papyrus." They stepped towards him, a faint smile growing on their face.

Papyrus lifted his head upright. Was he getting through already? How splendid!

"WELL, AS A GREAT FRIEND, IT WOULD BE QUITE RUDE OF ME TO HOLD A GRUDGE."

The human wore a wide smile. 

"NO HARD FEELINGS HERE WHATSOEVER! NOW, FRISK.. DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT?"

Another uncomfortable silence. The human looked dead at him. Papyrus noticed odd marks coming down from their eyes. Were those scars? They did seem to be rather reckless in their journey.

After some time, they grinned a lovely smile at him, and with wide open eyes, gave him a solid answer.

"No."

Papyrus didn't see it coming. But something in him knew it, didn't it? He had jumped high into the air, his boots now slightly torn at the edges. The human stood below him, knife extended, eyes fixed in shock. How unfortunate! He was so close to getting through, but just barely came up short. He'd just have to try a little bit harder...!

A ring of hard grey bones surrounded the human, Papyrus fluttering safely back to the ground. The human tried to force them apart or cut them, but they wouldn't budge. That was good, Papyrus thought. All the more time to try and get through to them. And like it or not, he didn't have infinite time to work with.


End file.
